Death of a Stranger
by frozenfullmetal
Summary: Basically a kind of spin off of 'of mice and men' there will be a whoolleee lot of differences but the main plot line will be intact. SORRY IF SOME CHAPTERS SEEM VERY SHORT. I PROMISE I WILL MAKE IT UP WITH LONG CHAPTERS LATER ON. MY APOLOGIES.
1. Chapter 1

There was a time when life was good. When life was easy and smooth for Berwald. he lived alone in a big city, and in the city lie a future of opportunity for the Swedish man. He had many things in his life that gave him happiness and hope; on the top of that list was his beautiful partner, Tino Väinämöinen.

Berwald was a Simple man. he was a bit bigger than the average 24-year-old, and it didn't help that he always kept perfect posture. The Swedish man worked a uneventful office job. It wasn't the job he had always dreamed of, no, but it payed the bills and kept him and Tino well fed and happy. When he was in high school, Berwald had always wanted to be a tried to work hard in his classes... but he had always been easily distracted by things and often found himself staring out a window instead of the chalkboard, or sketching pictures of his crush instead of taking notes. needless to say, he wasn't the best at focusing in school, and because of it his life didn't end up in the exact way he wanted. but he wasn't one to complain, after all their were many others that had it worse than him.

In fact, before Tino Väinämöinen had met Berwald, his life wasn't going very well. He had had a troubled childhood, a horrible tragedy when he was only seven years old haunted him through his teenage years and into adulthood (but, that was a story for another day.) He had much built up hate and rage, causing him to rebel from his aunt (who was his guardian at the time.)

Tino didn't end up completing high school, and after the passing of his aunt he was left homeless in the city. He searched for work at only seventeen years old... and got a measly job at a bus boy at a fast food restaurant. though, it was better than nothing. He didn't have a home.. and spent many nights on the street or a homeless shelter. He often contemplated suicide... and wouldn't be alive anymore if it wasn't for Berwald.

Mr. Oxenstierna had been walking home from work one evening. it was dusk and near the middle of a bad winter. he shivered as walked down the street, dressed in two light jackets and a pair of nice jeans. he pulled the hood of his outer jacket over his head, trying to keep his ears warm.

The tall blond man heard small sobs coming from between two big, brick buildings. he peeked his head around the shadowy alley, but it was too dark. slowly and carefully, the Swedish man made his way down the alley; the sobs continued to get louder.

"Hello?" he called down the alley. no response.

"'re you ok'y?" he called down the alley, the Sobs sounding very, very close.

"go! go away! please..." a hitched voice called back.

"wh'ts wrong?" Berwald took another step forward, hearing the crunch of garbage under his feet. he reached into his pocket and puled out his glasses, putting them over his eyes. he saw a small figure standing in the darkness... holding something metal and reflective. he held it to his head.

"I'm... done..." the small voice called back yet again

"wh't do you h've there?" Berwald said back, eyes focused on what the small man was holding. then it hit him. it was a gun.

"leave me alone!" the stranger cried "i... cant... i can't do it anymore. its to hard."

"put the gun down.. you don't h've to do this"Berwald said. he couldn't let him do this. he couldn't yet someone kill themselves. not when he was standing right in front of them.. not when he could stop them.

"i do... i can't bare it anymore... life. everything i do just brings me more misery... i cant afford a house... food... damn its the middle of winter and i don't even have a jacket!" Tino yelled; Berwald took another step, seeing the stranger more clearly. it was a man.. a small man with light hair and eyes. he was shorter than Berwald, but most people were. he looked young, about 20 or 21 years old... just a bit younger than Berwald himself. Berwald took off his jacket, he was just about four feet away from Tino now. The large man offered his jacket to the suicidal man in front of him.

"here t'ke this. come with me... i h've food at my 'p'rtment... give me the gun." Berwald said firmly. Tino stood still, completely shell shocked as he looked at Berwald. he completely broke down. the small man fell to his knees; Berwald took that opportunity to grab the gun from the man and take out the bullets, shoving it into his pocket. The Swede put his coat on Tinos shoulders and kneeled next to him "tell me your n'me... mines Berw'ld" he said softly as he helped the small man stand.

"T-Tino" The Finnish man forced out through tears. and that night, the night they met, Berwald saved Tino from himself. After a lot of thinking Berwald invited Tino to stay with him as long as he needed, and a few months later they were dating. it was now almost two years later, Tino was 22 years old and Berwald was 24. They lived together, and didn't talk much about the day they met. in fact, no one but them knew that story.

Up until recent times Tino and Berwalds life had been on schedule. their lives together had been nice and full of loving exchanges... until the day Tino was assaulted on the street.

Berwald held Tinos hand in his own as they walked down the street, talking and laughing and just enjoying each other's company as they took their evening walk. out of the corner of his eye berwald could see a large figure walking behind them, and walking fast. Berwald dismissed it. without realizing it, the man walking fast behind them had been following him. the stranger ran up behind the, grabbing Tino from behind and putting his hands around the Finnish mans neck. Tino tried to cry out, but the man was crushing his wind pipe and slowly suffocating him.

Berwald wasn't one for violence. he was big and looked like he could take down a train... but he had no training. he went to the gym when he could, but he didn't know how to fight. he didn't know what to do. The large Swede Reached for the man strangling Tino, and shoved him brutally against a concrete wall. Berwald took a deep, flustered breath before punching the man, hard and right in the head. the Stranger fell limp against the sidewalk.

the Stranger stopped breathing and Blood slowly poured over the sidewalk.

_Berwald had killed him_.


	2. Chapter 2

The flustered Tino gasped for air as the Strangers hands were ripped from his throat. he bent over, feeling like he was on the verge of passing out. he heard the sudden sound of skin hitting skin... the sound of a fallen man. and then silence. Tino didn't take so long to catch his breath before turning around to see the horrific sight.

A man laid dead on the sidewalk in front of Berwald. And the large swede looked down at his hands. his hands scraped and bloody; it wasn't even his blood.

"i... didn't mean to-" Berwald gasped. Tino took quick steps to the dead stranger, falling to his knees and bringing his ear close to the mans mouth; _no breathing_. Tino put two fingers over the mans wrist; _no pulse._

_"_Su-san... he's dead"

"n-no..." The large man stuttered. he didn't know his own strength. Tino stood, quickly grabbing Berwalds arm, and tugging at his coat

"We've got to go... We've got to go now!" he yelled at his boyfriend, seeing the fear in the mans eyes.

Berwald didn't question Tino. berwald just ran beside him. they ran as fast as they could... no one would believe that what Berwald did was an accident. Berwald was a huge, intimidating man. no one would believe anyone would try to mug them. no one would believe it would be that easy to kill someone.

Berwald didn't even think it was possible.

They ran out of town. not even going back to their apartment. The Swede had twenty dollars in his pocket; Tino had seven. Tino gasped for air, they reached the sign the signified the end of the towns borders. he hadn't even realized he had been holding onto berwald arm the entire time that they had been running.

"t-this should be far enough... i- i can't run anymore Su-San..." The small fin spoke between raspy breaths. Berwald himself had exhausted all of his energy miles ago... but mindlessly kept running. no matter the circumstances, he would never admit that His small partner could outrun him.

"Ja..."

"lets just walk... we'll find somewhere to go. we can't go back" Tino whispered, his breath catching up to him.

"i didn't mean to-" Berwald stuttered, cut off by his boyfriend.

"i know. Berwald... you helped me when i was in deep shit. and i'm going to help you. you defended me back there when i was caught off guard... and if i could i would do the same for you. because i love you."

"I love you." The blond Swede reciprocated, taking Tinos smaller- yet fiercer- hand into his own as they slowly began their trek down the dirt road that led them out of town...

and into a journey that neither of them knew would end in anguish.


	3. Chapter 3

The two, tired men walked. They walked for miles, not stopping even once. Before long, sirens could be heard in the distance. The tall Swedish man looked to Tino as they stopped on the dirt road.

"... do you think?" He questioned, not even having to finish his sentence.

"Yeah... c'mon, lets get off this road. They're probably not going to leave the main path tonight... its dark and they don't know what they're looking for. They'll wait until morning before they really start looking..." Tino said.

The Finnish man had had his share of experiences with the law. Living on the streets was a hard life, and he wouldn't deny that sometimes he may have resorted to theft and other (not so practical) ways of getting what he needed to survive with the measly funds his job provided. He knew how the officers of the law worked, he knew they wouldn't set out a large search party for a murderer the first night. Not only that- But Tino hadn't seen anyone else on the street when the man attacked him. Maybe their was no witnesses... Which means the police would know what berwald looked like. That was a plus.

Berwald nodded, letting Tino lead him off the main road and into a thick brush that surrounded the shore of a small stream. They slowly slipped into the tall brush, and all the way through to the shallow stream. They rolled up the bottoms of their pants and took off their shoes and socks as they trekked through the water.

After a while, Tino motioned for berwald to follow him to a small, dirt bank area. It also was enveloped in overgrown brush. once at the bank, both almost collapsed on the ground from exhaustion.

"This should be good... I think we're going to have to spend the night here..." Tino mumbled, laying on his back and looking up to the night sky, which was cluttered with clusters of beautiful stars.

"Ja... i don't think i could w'lk 'nother st'p if i tri'd." Berwald whispered, lying beside Tino. he put his arm around The smaller, Finnish mans waist and pulled his body close.

"Tack* Fin..."

"se on okei* Su-san..."

***tack- thanks**

***se on okei- it's okay**


	4. Chapter 4

The World around Berwald and Tino was anything but peaceful. you may think the sounds of birds chirping and the light breeze would be calming for the two men who had been having a rough time. but it was exactly the opposite. the sounds of nature around them just reminded the two men that they weren't sleeping in their bed. they weren't at home, completely on track with their lives. oh no, they were out in the middle of god-knows-were sleeping in the cold next to a river.

Morning came slow- it seemed to Berwald that night lasted much longer than it should have. the large swede woke an hour before Tino did. Berwald laid still, afraid to move and stir Tino awake. he stared up at the sky; slowly light spread across it and revealed open sky. and, despite the seemingly good weather, Berwald was not comforted.

Tino woke with a yawn, and for a second he forgot where he was. he forgot about seeing the crook lay dead in front of him. he forgot hearing the sound of the mans bones cracking or the pain of his feet from running away for so long. but as he opened his eyes to the nature around him; he remembered. he sighed, sitting up and looking at the face of the man he loved oh so very much. seeing that he was awake, Tino gave him a comforting smile before standing. the smaller and stretched out his back muscles before extending a hand down to berwald to help the man up.

"long night..." Tino stated, looking up at Berwald

"that's an understatement."

"yeah... by far..."

Tino held Berwald hand loosely, but gave it a quick, comforting squeeze. non verbally giving Berwald his message; everything was going to be okay.


	5. Chapter 5

The Two, tired, dirty men walked together down the road of dust and mud. hand in hand, they strode down their path.

earlier, as they prepared to leave that little bank area they had slept at, Berwald remembered a little wheat farm that was about ten miles down the country road. it didn't cross any major roads or pass through any cities. perfect. the men decided it was their safest bet- and they set off to find it. Finding their way to the dirt road was an adventure in itself. walking up the steep, muddy side of the bank was harder than going down it, and both of them were exhausted and dehydrated.

dried mud caked Tinos shirt. he had fallen a few times and now wore a blank stare of a man who had lost hope. not all hope, but a lot. people tend to forget how important an outlook on life is... but Tino never did. their was a point in time were Tinos hope was all gone. he remembered it clearly. he remembered the cold metal of the gun on his head- the chill in the air and the goosebumps on his arms not just from the snow and winter- but from all his nerves standing in attentiveness. but... he also remembered the smooth, melting voice of the man who had saved him. a man who he fell in love with from the moment he took the gun away; berwald. and now, the only little hope he had left was because berwald was by his side.

The Swede couldn't look Tino in the eyes now. what he had done... had damned them both. if he had just let that creep go instead of killing him... if he had just pushed him away... it would be okay. he wouldn't be putting Tino through this hell. he felt guilty. he knew no matter what they would always have to watch their backs now. because of him. because he couldn't stop and think before he acted.

they walked in silence. deafening, awkward silence for miles before any words were said. finally, the farm was only steps away. water, a place to sleep, and that hope Tino craved and survived on.

"this... is it? right?" the smaller man asked timidly

"Ja... i th'nk."

"maybe i should talk."

"wh't? why?" the large Swede asked, his eyebrow raising

"well... your speech pattern can be hard to follow sometimes Ber.. and you can be a bit intimidating when you speak."

"oh"

"n-not to me!"

"Ja..."

Tino frowned. feeling like he just made the rift between him and Berwald become deeper. they soundlessly entered the main office building, greeted by a strange looking man who called himself 'Heracles Karpusi'. Heracles led them into a back room, were they were then greeted by the Farms owner. he was a larger looking man, not by much, but it was obvious he was in charge and didn't do any of the hard work on the farm. he called himself Alfred. Alfred Jones. he wasn't a Rude man. Strict- yes. but not rude. he asked them why they were on the farm and Tino said they were looking for work.

"No one said we needed any more workers here." Alfred said flatly, his tone asserting his authority

"i know sir.. but we're a bit desperate..." Tino responded, all the time Berwald stared blankly into Alfreds face.

"why?"

"well there isn't much work in the city and... as you might tell from the dirt we've had our fair share of bad luck recently.. we could use some money and a place to bunk."

"no, i mean why isn't the big guy talkin'? he mute?" Alfred asked questioningly. it seemed odd that a man so big could have so little to say

"n-no... he isn't mute. he just don't like to talk much."

"why?" Alfred said, getting more and more curios in these strangers

"w-well.., he um..." Tino ramled before being cut off

"No, i want HIM to answer." Alfred said, nodding to Berwald

"jus' d'nt h've anythin' to say, sir." Berwald said, his deep voice humming authoritatively through the room. his accent thick on the word _sir._

_"_that's fair, i guess. i also guess we could use a few more hands, a guy just left a few weeks ago. so, have Herc show you to the bunks."

"yes... sir." Tino said, copying Berwalds tone of voice.

Heracles led them to the bunks and showed them which two were theirs. he offered to show them around the farm more if they wanted, and they agreed. the Larger Greek man told them they could meet in about a half hour to be shown around. as Heracles was leaving- Tino noticed he was missing his right hand. it struck him as odd that one-handed man could be working on a farm... but the thought passed. He had lots of thoughts buzzing around in his mind... he couldn't handle anymore.


End file.
